The Girl with the Blue Tattoo

Olive Oatman was a 13-year-old Mormon pioneer when Yavapai Indians killed her family and enslaved her. She was traded to the Mohave, who tattooed her face and raised her as their own. After being ransomed and returned to white society, Oatman found herself caught between conflicting cultures. Her tattoo clashed with her pale complexion, marking her as both Mohave and European. Margot Mifflin has written a book about Oatman, and she joins us Wednesday to discuss Oatman's life as a cultural hybrid.

Margot Mifflin writes about women, art, and contemporary culture. She's the author of the book The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman [Amazon|Indiebound], as well as Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo [Amazon|Indiebound].

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